RecipeTin Eats’ chow mein uses an underrated meat for stir-fries (and a secret ingredient for extra crunch)

Name: RecipeTin Eats’ chow mein uses an underrated meat for stir-fries (and a secret ingredient for extra crunch)
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 350g pork belly, skinless, cut into 2cm strips, then into 3mm thick slices (see note); ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp white pepper; 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Nagi Maehashi

June 27, 2023

RecipeTin Eats’ pork chow mein with crispy noodles.Rob Palmer STYLING: Emma Knowles

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

At my local Chinese restaurant, chow mein noodles is offered with the choice of soft or crispy noodles. Is that even a question? Crispy noodles beat soft noodles every time, and especially when smothered in a glossy stir-fry sauce with juicy golden bits of pork and vegetables.

As we’re in a midweek SOS situation, we’re using packet noodles. What, you’ve never used crispy noodles from a packet in your dinner? Trust me, they’re cheap, convenient and delicious.

SOS checklist

Fewer than 12 ingredients (excluding oil, salt, pepper and water) ✔
Less than $20 for 4 servings ✔
Less than 30 minutes ✔

Ingredients

350g pork belly, skinless, cut into 2cm strips, then into 3mm thick slices (see note)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp white pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Stir-fry sauce

2½ tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp Shaoxing (Chinese cooking wine)

Stir-fry

1 onion, halved then cut into 8mm thick slices
1 red capsicum, cut into 5mm thick strips, then into 3cm lengths
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
100g baby spinach
2¼ cups water
200g crispy fried noodles (see note)

Method

Step 1
Toss the pork with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Mix the stir-fry sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
Step 3
Place a 30cm non-stick pan over high heat and add the oil. Sear the pork, tossing with 2 wooden spoons, for 2½ minutes, or until slightly golden. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan.
Step 4
Saute the onion for 1½ minutes. Add the capsicum, garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for 1½ minutes. Add the pork and spinach, tossing until the spinach has wilted.
Step 5
Pour in the water first, then the stir-fry sauce, and simmer until the sauce thickens (about 30 seconds). Add the noodles, quickly toss, and serve immediately while the noodles are still crisp (see note).

Pork belly is underrated for stir-fries.iStock

Notes

In my opinion, pork belly is underrated for stir-fries. Most people think it’s reserved for slow cooking. But in stir-fries, it becomes golden, stays juicy, and has so much more flavour than chicken breast. Substitute pork tenderloin, chops or anything porky that’s suitable for fast cooking.
I use Chang’s crispy fried noodles, available from the Asian section at supermarkets. They’re convenient, delicious and sturdy enough to stay crispy for a while. You will need 2 x 100g packets. Other thin crispy noodles will work just fine, too.
The noodles stay crisp for a good 10 to 15 minutes. But when left overnight, they do soften.